Refrigerating vending machine



Feb 12 192% 1,483,777 c. F. CALLAHAN REFRIGERATING VENDING MACHINE Filed Feb. l2, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 12 1924. M8337? c. F. CALLTAHAN REF'BTGERATING VENDING MACHNE Uharlasf czilalw im WMM v l atto: ne 1,4

Feb. 12, 1924., Y 1,483,777

' C. F. CALLHAN Y REFRIGERATING- VENDING MACHINE Filed Fei?. l2, 1923 s Sheets-:Salem S G H501 ne Patented'Feb. 12, 1924.

il i T l S T A T E S maar?? rn'rsnr CHARLES F. CALLAHAN,OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

REFRIGERATING VENDING MACHINE.

Application led February 12, 1923. Serial No. 618,630.

To all whom it may concern Be 1t known that I, CHARLES F. CALLAHAN,

a citizen of the United States. residing at'A able others skiled in the art to which-it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in refrigerator vending machines, and has for an object to provide a. refrigerator for containing bottled voods in which the delivery of the goods is lad without requiring the opening of the refrigerator to the end that the goods may be at all times kept at a constant low temperature suitable for drinking 4purposes and to avoid the expense of wasted refrigerant when the cold is allowed to escape through the opening of doors to give access to the contents of the refrigerator.

It is another object of the invention to provide in conjunction with the refrigerator a coin-controlled apparatus to regulate the ldelivery. of the goods vso that the device is substantially automatic in action, and provides for the vending of the articles singly only after the deposit of a coin of predetermined denomination in the apparatus. 1

Further objects of the invention are to provide for a compact" refrigerator having numerous compartments in which several varieties of diiferent goods may be stored from which the customer may make his selection, to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive construction of both refrigerator and coin-controlled apparatus and to provvide for a ready and convenient delivery of the goods to the exterior' of the refrigerator upon 'the actuation of the respective coincontrollelil apparatus.

With the foregoing and other-*objects in View, the inventlon will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appendcd hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1. is a front elevation of an improved vending refrigerator constructed according to the present invention.

Fig. 2. is a vertical sectional viewthereof.

Fig. 3. is a fragmentary horizontal section.

Fig. 4. is a fragmentary vertical section showing the delivery apparatus.

Fig. 5. is an enlarged fragmentary sectiori through the coin controlled mechanism, an(

. Fig. G. is also a section taken on the line 6--6 in Fig.` 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 1 designates a cabinet or chest adapted to contain ice in a top compartment 2 and having double spaced walls as indicated'at 3 to properly insulate the interior.

The ice or other refrigerant in compart- Ament 2 at the top of the cabinet or chest is accessible for filling through one or more doors 4 also preferably of a double wall construction having an interior dead air or other insulated space. yBelow the refrigerant-compartment 2 are a number of intermediate compartmentsplaced side by side. throughout the Width of the cabinet or chest and serving to hold bottled goods of various kinds. These compartments are indicated generally at 5 in Fig. 2, and are provided with'inclned shelves 6, 7, 8 and 9 upon which bottles are laid sidewise to enable them to roll. The bottles are put in through twospaced hinged doors l() and l1 which swing inwardly as the bottle is pushed into place. These doors lO and 1l `vare separated substantially the width of the bottle to enable the outermost door 10 to close before the bottlewvill in its rolling automatically open the inner door 11; thus preventving the escape of the cold atmosphere.

y The doors 10 and 1l are situated above the glass p-anels 12 through which the prospective customer may view the contents of the various intermediate compartments. As

shown in Fig. 1 six compartments are provided in which various bottled goods are carried as indicated bythe legends above the lglass panels. The base 13 of the opening through which the bottles are introduced extends on the same inclination as' the topmost shelf 6. This shelf slopes rearwardly but is spaced from the rear Wall of the cabinet as shown in the Fig` 2 to permit the bottles to descend upon the higher end of. the next shelf 7l which is inclined forwardly and in turn has its front end spaced from the front part of the refrigerator to again fallow the goods to descend upon the shelf 8, which is next in sequence.

yment is such that the ice in the top 'compartment 2 may melt and the cold Water descend upon the bottles in the-intermedi,- ate compartments, finally descending upon the sloping floor 16 which is inclined to the 1 drain pipe 17. Below the bottom' '16 is a compartment 18 A'for such other goods as it. may be desired to keep in the refrigerator. For instance bottled goods mayV berkept in suitably large quantities in the base compartment l18 and an attendant makin his rounds ofthe variousmachines may llave resort to this base compartment for goods to replenish any of the intermediate delivery compartments whichlmay at the time be empty. A I f 'Now each of the intermediate compartments isprovided with a coin-controlled lnechanism embodi in'fa casing 19 Aand operated ,bylever 2G whichis connected by rod 21 with a slide 22-operating beneath the outlet from the lowermost shelf 9 and having a pocket `23 to receive a single bottle while also having an upper flange 24 to close the mouth at the lower end of shelf 9 when the slide moves to an outer position such asshownin Fig. 4. The front wall of the cabinet provides a chute 25.`into which the bottle is delivered when the slide 22 is pulled forwardly, the bottle being. directed outwardly to a basket or holder 26 which is upon the exterior of the cabinet and accessible to the customer. A hinged door 27 is. located in the chute or at its outlet to be swung open by thevbottle in its passage to the basket but adapted to automatically close to avoid dissipation of thecold` atmosphere. y I i .l

The coin-controlled mechanism is shown most clearly in Figs. 5 and in which the casing 19 is shown to be provided withr an opening 2S toreceive a coin of suitable ded nomination which is adapted to, descend by gravity into the slot 29, the Lcoin 30 being shown `in Fig. (S, ashaving just descended and come into contact with the upper end of a lever 31 which normally 'projects' into the lower portion of the slot 29.I The lever 31 is fulcrumed at and has its lower end 33 normally projectingin the path of a lug 34 upon a rotary shaft 35 which projects through' one side of the casing 19 to which is ailixcd the lever 2t). l

A trip finger 36 extends beneath the coin 3() at the base of the coin slot 29 vpreventing the immediate descent of thccoin` this finger being pivotedas indicated at.-37 inFig.

- 5 upon a suitable part and being connected to a link 38 which extends to an ear 39 upon the rear portion of' the shaft 35.

fUpon fthe exterior of thecasing 19 is a -are exhausted. The receptacle 40 is in communication with the interior by means of a slot 41 adapted to be closed by a slide plate 42 coupled to links 43 and connected at op posilte ends of the slide plate, such links 43. being in turn coupled to a'pair of links .44 running to and pivoted in ears upon the shaft 35 as shown at 45.

The coin divertin plate 46 i normally lies in a diagonal position as shown in Fig. 5 with its lower end arranged to direct the coin out through the slot 41 and into the exterior receptacle 40. 'This plate 46 is A pivoted at 47 and carries a horizontal exten- .sion 48 beneath which engages the upwardly- In operation, Vthe prospective purchaser,

- viewin the goods through the glass panels 12 an, bottles in the various compartments by the legend upon the outside of the cabinet 'just and thereupon places a coin ofthe denomination called for in the opening 28 in the respective casing 19. The coin descending in the slot 29 strikes the upper end of the locking lever 31 and causes its lower end 32 to swing over to the position 'shown in Fig.

informed as to the contents of the a5 yabove the glass panels, makes his selection 6 where it is out of the path of the lu 34. i' I The shaft 85 may'thus be rotated by pu ling outwardly upon the handle 20. This action also draws the slide 22 forwardly to the position `indicated in Fig 4, allowing the bottle previouslyreceiv'ed in vthe slide ocket to descend through thechute 25 an into the `hasketQt) where it is accessible to the customer.

Now the coin 30is retained at the base of the' slot 29 as shown in Figs. 5' and 6 yuntil the handle 20 is actually pulled back. The retaining finger 36 is .then swung down by reason of the link connection 38 with the shaft, permitting the coin to fall, the moveclosure plate42 down in back of the slot 41. The coin falling upon the diverting plate 46 is thus prevented from sliding 'out vtl'iroug'h` the opening 41 and into the pocket 41) where the customer could recover it. A bottle 15` as shown in Fig. 5, will in descending through the chute 25 strikethe projecting end 51 of thev trip arm and cause t-he swinging of the diverting plat-e about its u pivot 461 This action releases the'coin and allows Iit to droptinto the bottom of `the 'casing'. However, should there be no bottle ment of the shaft 35 also acts to swing the i inthe compartment selected, the trip arm will not move the diverting plate 46 and as a result, en the returning of thel handle 20 to the original position, the plate 42 Will be lifted an the coin will slide out through the open ing 41 into the pocket 40 where it may be reclaimed by the customer.

'lhe bottles will thus descend singly to the slide and be ejected in sequence. Y The inclined shelves will permit the bottles to roll smoothly down tothe slide without breakage and at the same time be kept in a cold condition by the drip Water of the ice in the compartment above. The bottles pass the glass partitions 12 one above another so that they may be inspected and also the progress of the bottles down the shelves noted.

'The shelves W'ill hold a great number of bottles and will require replenishing only at infrequent intervals. The arrangement and disposition of the parts is such that access of outside Warmer air is prevented and also the escape of the cold atmosphere is almost entirely avoided while however not interfering with the ready delivery of the goods.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodiment of my invention, but it is obvlous that changes may be made therein Within the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l.v A refrigerator comprising a refrigerated cabinet containing bottled goods and having a delivery chute, aslide to control the movement of bottles to the chute, means to normally lock the slide and to release same on inserting a proper coin, said means comprising a casing having a coin slot with mbeajns to unlock` the slide actuated by the presence oi' the coin, said casing having an outlet for the coin, means to hold the coin in the slot until'the slide is moved, means to mask the outlet as the coin is released, means to divert the coin to the outlet, and means` the chute for shifting said diverting means out of the described.

2. A vending machine com rising a cabinet for the goods having a elivery chute, delivery means for depositing the goods in the chute, a coin chute, a lever projecting in the coin chute and adapted to be moved by a coin, a shaft normally locked against rotation by said lever and connected to be turned when the delivery means is operated, means normally in the chute for holding the coin therein and connected to said shaft for Withdrawal on the turning ofthe shaft, a rocking diverting plate in thevpath of the coin for returning the coin to the customer, a movable shutter normally permitting return of the coin and coupled to the shaft for movement therewith, and means projecting into the goods delivery chute for shifting said plate out of the path of the coin on the passage of the goods.

3. A vending machine comprising a cabipa-th of the cam, substantially as net for goods having a delivery chute, deliv- I ery means for depositing articles in the chute, a shaft connected to said delivery means and adapted to be rotated on the operation of said means, a coin chute, a lever projecting into the coin chute for movement by a coin and arranged to lock said shaft against movement, a trip finger for arresting the movement of the coin in the chute connected to said shaft for withdrawal from' the coin chute When the shaft isy turned, a coin return receptacle, a diverting plate pivoted below7 the coin chute for directing the coin to the return receptacle, means in the delivery chute moved by the goods passing therethrough for shifting the plate out of the path of the coin, and means moved by the shaft for cutting off thereturn receptacle from access to the coin.

CHARLES F. CALLAHAN. 

